Card index



Feb. 26, 1929. I 1,703,610 E. L. BOSWORTH CARD INDEX Filed Nov. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jana mazaam rsa Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,610 v E. L. BOSWORTH CARD INDEX Filed Nov. 7, 192} 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1; 34 Austin 6 tin antinam'iau,

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1, 44 l Qrdzic 1-41" I 45 122E 31 Feb. 26, 1929. Y 1,703,610

E. L. BOSWORTH CARD INDEX Filed Nov. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet I 1. I M01: J

tw 'lfiorw George I n b mot abito Henry H.

351m 75. Goff? 21. 1916 as J. 75

em}! l 3, 1.920-

42002 5 Fara/072% Patented Feb. 26, 1929. V

UNITED STATES.

PATENT ion-" ce."

nnwm L. noswon'rn', or CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD INDEX.

Application filed November '1, 1921; Serial No. 513,404.

' bers are; listed under it to rovide means whereby, under any circumstances, the particular word, number. orthe like, which 1t 1s desired to. fiind can be located with great facility and ease, and that necessitates no complicated instructions or any great experience in the use ofthe system; to provide a system of this characterzwherein there will be a number: or series of divisions, subdivisions, and in fact, in which, if desired,- the-subdivisions can be subdivided to any desired extent so that anyone nsingthe index can find the word or number he is after very readily by selecting a card which represents the first letter or numeral and then selecting the card behind that which represents the second one, and the card behind that, which represents the third, and so on, the divisions beicarried out to any desired degree in accordance with the particular subject mat tor that is being indexed. c

The invention also involves the provision of division cards having certain characterizstics facilitating their use for the; abov'e specizfied purposes, and also adapted to have printed or written upon themuthe subject .3 tter contained inthe n'iatter 1,ndexe ;l.that 1 the dictionary or the like for which it is/used. Thecards also have certainrelation- 7 ships to each other, as will appear, for the purpose or coordinating them in asuitablc way to. accomplish the above mentioned objects. I i i Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a booklet which is composed oi a number of pages, each ina general way representinga card, and suitablefor use in certain cases where there is alarge amount of matter to besubdivided, and constituting a more convenient way or handling it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had in the accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of asmallpart of card index constructed in accordance with this invention and shownas being used as a dictionary. V

. Fig. 2-is a front View of the firstdivision card of that index.

Fig. 3 -]S a similar ,view of a card which constitutes a second division card in one, of

the series.

Figs. and 5 are respectively third and fourth division cards all ads. ted to be located in the proper places beiind the card in Fig.2. j

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a booklet which constitutes a substitute for several cards.

7 is. aiview similar, to Fig. 4: showing a third division card modified so as, tobe used for a city directory; V

Fig. 8 is a modified directory card; and Fig. 9 is a vi wsimilar toFig. 5 showing a fourthdivision card modified so as to be used for indexing numerical matter.

As stated above, this card index system is In the first five figures, I have shown it for use for snitablefor use for many purposes.

a'dictionary. Referring now to these figures in detail, the whole subject matter of thedictionary is first divided in the; natural Way and in-the way which is. common in card indexes, into twenty-six 1divisions-,'each' divisi-on' representing one letter of the alphabet. It the index were used for numbers it would be divided intoten divisions. eachrepresenting a digit, or in multiplesv of ten.

..These CliViSiOIIS are made by the use of the.

required number o-f'priinary division cards 10 each with a tab 11 thereon having a letter, number des gnation or character 12 representing the initial letters of the various words. This card, however; is preferably made withan extension 131 on the tab 11 at a lower, level than the tab and having additionaljd-ata. In'the form shown in FigsQl and 2 this extension1 3v is shownascontaining} the letters a-z-. 1 This means that behind the ticular card 10 shown therearesi-ibdivisionsrepresenting the second letter of the word tra ns to z nclusive. The same principle is followed out preferably throughout the whole index. I If it is desired to di ide the subject matter behind this card in two divisions two such cards would be used, one having at this point the letters a-m, for example, and the other n-z. As clearly indicated in Fig. 2 this constitutes the whole of the printing or lettering on the division card 10, preferably, and each of the others is made up in the same way. If, however, there is only subject matter under any initial letter to occupy one card, it can be placed directly on the division card as indicated hereinafter. I refer to these cards through this specification as No. 1 division cards. The tabs 11 are arranged in stagger-ed relationship to facilitate the use of the index.

In Fig. 3 I have shown what I call a No. 2 division card 20. This card is not, usually, substantially a blank like the cards 10, but is provided with certain marks, letters, and words as will appear. In the first place, it is provided with a tab 21 having a designation or character 22 thereon, in this case the letter 11. Furthermore it is provided with an extension 23 to that tab. On this extension, at a lower level, there is a letter, designation, or character 24 in this case 04;. It will be observed that this is made up of two letters in this case. This will occur frequent-ly in this index.

Now this second card shown is designed to be used behind the first No. 1 card, having the letter A on the tab 11 thereof. In other words, it relates to words in the dictionary which commence with the letter A. The charactor 22 on this card represents the second letter of each word on the card or on any further divisional or other cards behind it. For the purpose of having all the data necessary on the card itself, the letters A and n are shown at the left-hand upper corner of the card, but on the body of it below the level of the tab and in the position desig nated 25. Now this card also, besides indicating the second letter of the word, also may contain lettering as shown indicating the third letter. This third. letter 0 or t is indicated by the character 24%, and by the third letter or lettering at the point 25. All the words on this card commence with the letters a n and have as-their third letters those from o to t. This fact is indicated by these three letters-a n 0 at the point 25, and is also indicated by the letter A on the corresponding No. 1 division card, and the letters 11 and o t at the points 22 and 241- on this card itself.

In the form illustrated here, I have shown a number of words printed on the card and it will be understood that their definitions are intended to appear there if this is being used for a dictionary. They are arranged alphabetically in the usual way and the first one is the first word under the general heading A. n o, in this case the word anoa. It can be considered that the letters a n 0 at the point 25 at the left head three columns which are blank below them part or all the way down the card. Just at the right of them there is a fourth column represented by the numeral 26. The first letter at the top of this column but below the row of letters A n o is the letter a, This indicates, of course, that the first word begins with the letters A n o a. Each of the letters in the column 26 may head a blank space to indicate that all the words following that space to the right have for the fourth letter the one located in the column 26 above it. For example the letter d, the fourth letter down in the fourth column is written in the place indicated and the next six spaces are left blank below which indicates that those next words below that level have as their first four letters the letters a n o d. N ow, if it is desired to divide these up further, a fifth column 2Tcan be used as indicated. which is shown as made up of the fifth letters of the words, a, e, i, o, y. These indicate the fifth letter of the words opposite as will be seen clearly from the few Words that are selected and printed out on the drawings. On this card, all the words shown beginning with ano after anoa are included and I continue with these following which begin with ans and ant. Now, 1n order to represent at the top of the card 20, the facts that have been indicated above, I provide some characters, letters, or numerals 28 to show how far this card goes in including the fourth letter of the words. In this case the fourth letter under the last third letter, t,

. goes from a-h inclusive, and so the designation 29 ln the form of an &, indicates that more woros are to follow on the next card under the heading A n t. This is placed before the characters at 28 to show that something is to follow. It will be seen, therefore that on the card next behind the card represented in Fig. 3 there will be characters 22, 2 1, 25 just as there are on this card, but at the point 28 will be the letters h-; pro vided the next card contains all the rest of the words beginning with A n t.- It not, the 8: (29) will appear after this character at'28 on the No. 2 card to show that the words commencing with Ant are not all. on the card, and to show in which direction to go to find the others. v

This description has presumed that all the words commencing with Ano, ans, and ant can be coi'itaiued on two cards. It is obvious, however, they can be divided up into any other desired number of cards, and that the cards between the first and last will. have the designation 29 at both ends of the character 7 or sign at 28 as in Fig; 5. 'This description would do for an abridged or pocket dictionary in the main, but there are some cases even in a small dictionary where even further divisions are necessary.

modem;

In Fi 4.- I have shown a card! 3Qwhioh-I call No. 3 card. --'1hisis to-be used toshow the third letter at 3'2'onthe tab 31, when such a card as this: is employed the corresponding I oni't and a designation at 24 to show what is on the No. 3' card behind it, but the word'so-f the dictionary containing these letters are on the No. 3 cards In this-case, shown it as having a No. 1 card representing the letter Asimilarto Fig. 2, and a No. 2' card representing the letter n. Inother words, the designation at 011 the No. 3 eard is A. n ti n, the fourth letter being'the same as the character at 342 on the extension ofthe tab.

. Now, on this card, the fourth: letter i appears on the card and so I have a fourth columnthat might indicate any other letters which might- .tol low under it. I have shown also a fifth column 37, the purpose of which will be ol'Wi-ous'i'rom what has been stated above. This No. 2-3 card has atthe top a tab=3 l similar totab 21 of the card of the second order but beari ng thze third. letter" of the words, t ind-i:-

cated by 82, and having an extension 38 with the'iourth letter i, indicated by 34, on it. Justbeloav the tab on the card is an & fol lowed, in the mrt-icu lar'thirdcardil'histrated, byth-einscriptionn-zzpreeeded by adiaeresis 129' The & has a meaning analogous to that explained above, that is, letters a'n accompanying it are of the next placefoll'owing that of the index letter 34%, at the right of the tab,'or are fifth letters of Wordson the card. Since these lettersdo not start at, the begining- "of the alphabet the diaeresis is inserted before them to indicate that there are words beginning with Anti and having fifth letters preceding 11, on an other card of the third order before this one. The designation 35 on this card might be only Anti, omitting the fifth letter, In Fig. 5, I have shown a No. 4 card 40, and I have designated the parts 41, 42, 455," 4 6, 47 to correspond with: the designations ill-37, and also '2127 respectively. Words, these numeralsrepresent, not the same letters or numerals, but those having the same relations to the words on the card that the corresponding ones do in .Figs. 3 and l. The designations on this cardshow that the cardbefore it contained at'the end words beginning in A n t i c. The diaeresis and & signs on card 40 as well as on card 30 show that this is a continuation from the card before this having the designation Anti; It is to be understood that in many cases -no No. 4. cards will be used, and'infact this is true of all the'others except the '1 card.

If in the case of an abridged or p'ocketdic- X 55, etc.

tionary, all the words commencing with can be placed on the No. 1 card having the letter X at the top at the point 12, there need be no No, 2 cards or. any other cards behind it in that division. The staggering of the No. 2 card'QO has the character 22 I have vided with tabs as 63 it indicates that the,

In i othertabs 11-1,. 21:, a1, 41, m. is carried out through I out the index;v The tabs of difierenit'rorders can beidl'Stll'lglllShfidffrom each other iii-desired by differences in.- color, shape, on size.

In using this: system for an unabridged dictionary, I'find that so: many used: that it will be more convenient .to comnect some of them permanently so. as to fiorm abooklet-of a: number of cards or leaves, Ihave shown this in Fig. 6' in which the booklot is intended to contain all the words cards are commencing with the three letters 0 o m. In

be placed? on the this case designations can those on card No.

outside corresponding with ?-for' example. I

Insidethe booklet there are aplmmality of leaves divided into groups. The front leafi of each group has at the top a tab 61 having a letter or other character 62. In thiscase there may be-as many as twenty-six leaves.

On J the first leaf, for example, would he words commencing with com-a or parts thereof. Behind each ol the leaves; theta'b 61 are shown them separately certain onesareproat the righthaving a letter or other designation as representing the fifthletter of theword. sions can be made or not according'to how manyword s there are under-each letter 62. The several leaves can be further-marked on th'efront as in 3, 4, 5 if desired. It is, to be understood in this connection that it is not at all essential that the characters 65 be three in number as these booklets canbe pages-or leaves further dividing up the words, and although I" have met se subdivh used at any po-int'in the index. In the pres.- I

ent instance, I" have shown the bookletas taking" the place ofa No. 3 card,but it could take the place of'a Not 2 or No. .4 card or any other inaeeordance with this invention.

In Fig. 7' I'have shown a division-card designed to be used for a directory, catalogue, file or other list. This is aNo. 3 card that is illustrated, and it indicates that the first four lettersoii the last namesflof the parties listed in the directory are-Mora: These-cards like theothers shown can contain any-printed matter desired after the names. On this card I have showna modification ofthe tab 71, illustrating it in the form of a sheet metal or llO celluloid clipstamped out toprovide tongues adapted to holdthe clip in position. a The extension 73011 the tab is modified also as it ex-' tends from the end of the tab opposite to that shown in Fig. 3. It issometimes desirable sent'the fifth letter in this name but will represent the initials-or given names. This by together with the character. I

-no means exhausts the limits of this system in that respect as any desired number of division cards can be employed. It will be noted, of course, that a large number will be employed in certain places, for example where the first three or four letters constitute acom mon initial syllable like com. The subdivisions canvbe handled without as many division cards in many cases. It is to be noted in this-case also thata slight modification is shown, as the tab extension extends from the opposite end of the tab to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which may be more convenient; in some cases. I

In Fig. 9 I have shown a No. t card of an index of numbers, as for example patent numbers. It is thought that in view of the above description this. figure will be selfrexplanatory.

It will be seen, therefore, that the invention is capable of wide use for indexing purposes, and is not restricted to the particular illustrations made herein. t is also obvious that it is perfectly flexible, and can be employed eificiently no matter how irregular the Work may be to which it is applied. Each card is provided with data to show ust where it belongs if it is taken out for use, and they always indicate, by the dataupon them, it a card has been left out.

The use of the deviceis very simple, a word is found in it in the same way as in any dictionary, except that the divisions of the words are displayed in a convenient place so that the user can more readily and rapidly select the, positions in the index in which he will find the word or number for which he is looking. Much time is saved in searching for a word or number by the use of this index. Although I have illustrated and described only a few forms of the invention, I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

-Therefore, I do not Wish to be limited to any or all of the forms and details illustrated and described, but what I do claim is 1. In a card index, the combination with a set of primary division cards, each designated to represent a series of cards, of a. series of secondary division cards located between two of the first named division cards and desig nated to represent a series oi cards constituting a subdivision, having thereon indicia showing in what division and sub-division they belong and having a column of the matter to be indexed on each of said cards having its first character sald designation of its primary division card and as its second character the designation of its secondary division card.

2. In a card index, the combination with a set of primary division cards, each having a prominently displayed designation repre-- senting and indexing a division or series of cards, of a series of secondary division cards located betweentwo of the first-nai'ned divis sion cards, and each having a prominently displayed character representing and indexing a sub-division ofcards, and cards constituting said sub-divisions having thereon indicia showing in what division and sub-di vision they belong and having a column of the matter to be indexed'having as it firstcharacter said displayed character on its'primary division card and as its second character the displayed character on its secondary division card, the secondary division card having a character prominently displayed showing the third character of the first line oi? said matter on the sub-division cards.

3. In a card index, the combination with a set of primary division cards, each having a designation of a series 0]. seeondarydivision 'ards located between two of the first named division cards, and each having a designation, and cards located behind each of said second: ary division cards and each having thereon a column of the matter to be indexed, that on each of said cards having as its first character said designation of its primary division card and as its second character the designation of its secondary division card, and additional series of division cards each having lines of indexed matter thereon and designated prominently with a character indicating the character in the first line of matter thereon which corresponds, in its numerical position from the beginning of the line, with the number of times the indexed matter is subdivided by all the division cards preceding and including itself.

4. In a card index, the combination with a plurality of primary division cards, each designated with a letter of the alphabet prominently displayed thereon, of a plurality of series of secondary division cards, each series being located between two of the primary cards, and each one having a letter of the alphabet thereon and bearing words there onalphabetically arranged and all commencing with the letter with which one of the adjacent primary division cards is designated, the individualcards oi eaclrseries being des ignated by letters alphabetically arranged and having thereon words of which theflsec 0nd letter is the same as their own designah ing letters. V

In a card index, the combination with a plurality of primary division cardseach designated with a letter of the v alphabet prominently displayed thereon, of a plurality of series of secondary division cards, each series being located between two of the primary cards, and each one having a letter of the alphabet thereon prominently displayed, and a number of cards between each two secondary division cards, each having data thereon ari'anged in lines, of

the first each line being that by which the adjacent primary division card isdesignated and the second letter of each line is that by which the adjacent secondar ed, the last-namec cards of each series being designated by letters alphabetically arranged and constituting the third letterof the first line of said data.

6. In a card index, the combinationwith primary division cards having tabs thereon arranged in staggered relation and each having a character thereon, of secondary division cards, ing equal to the number of primary division cards, each series being located between two adjacent primary division cards, eachcard thereofhaving a tab thereon provided with a secondary character similar to the characters on the primary division cards and arranged in the same order and in staggered relation, of the various series of cards being arranged in parallel rows, the secondary division cards each having thereon indexed reading matter all having as its first two characters the two characters on the tab of the related primary own tab. I j

7. In a card index, the combination' with a number of primary division cards having tabs projecting therefrom and arranged in division card and its staggered relation and each having a charac-,

ter on its tab to indicate the first character of all the indexed matter behind that card and in front of the next similar one in the index, of series of secondary division'cards located between two adjacent division cards, each secondary card having a tab thereon provided with a character, and cards behind each secondary division card having thereon indexed reading matter all having as its first division card is de'signat of a number of series said number he 'ter representin the several like characters on the tabs secondary division;

, character thereon at a having a character thereon the first-named character representing the first character of the matter to be indexed just behind said card and the character on the extension representing the second character thereof."

9. As an article of manufacture, a card for a card index having a tab projecting therefrom and designated by a character, and

' an extension on the tab of less height having the first-named characa character thereon,

the second character of the matter to be in exed just behind said card or on it and. thecharacter on the extension representing the third character thereof, and

having said two characters repeated in the order named on the'card at a lower level than the tab and a third character to their left representing the first character ofthe indexed matter.

10. As an article of manufacture, a division card for a card index having a tab designated by a character and an extension on the tab of less height having a character thereon, the card having a third prominently displayed lower level near the extension, said card having a ,colurnnof mat-- ter thereon, three adjacent characters of each line of which for a distance from the top are the same, and-in the same order, as the three characters on the card.

In testimony whereof I havev hereunto affixed my signature.

' EDWIN L. BOSWORTH.

division I 

